


Feeling as Close as Strangers

by OmegaJay



Category: 5 Seconds of Summer (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - No Band, Alternate Universe - Soulmates, Angst, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Attempt at Humor, M/M, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Soulmate-Identifying Timers, forbidden requited love
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-02-17
Updated: 2017-02-22
Packaged: 2018-09-25 04:40:03
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 4,249
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9802979
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/OmegaJay/pseuds/OmegaJay
Summary: Calum, the boy slowly growing to a man with biceps getting more and more profound from sports, with tattoos that were inked beautifully on his tan skin, and a cheerful, outgoing personality, who’s eyes crinkled when he laughed at Luke’s bad joke, and protected Luke when ‘nerd’ insults at school became too much, was Luke’s soulmate.Luke wassureof it.Until he wasn’t.orCake Soulmate AU with a twist.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Title inspired by Close as Strangers by 5 Seconds of Summer.

The only thing Luke was a hundred percent sure about in his life, was that Calum was his soulmate.

People around them could see how they just fit together like puzzles. There was no Luke without Calum, and no Calum without Luke. There was only _CalumandLuke_.

When Luke was five, the Hood family moved in next to the Hemming’s. Liz invited the new neighbours over for dinner out of courtesy. Luke remembered how he met the tanned, chubby-cheeked boy with the brightest brown eyes for the first time.

_“Hi! I’m Calum!” the brown boy chirped as he shoved his lanky arm in front of Luke for Luke to shake his hand._

_“M-my name’s Luke,” Luke timidly shook the stranger’s hand with his equally mini hand._

_Luke yelped when Calum stuck their sides together while tossing one arm over Luke’s shoulders, “We’re gonna be the bestest of best friends in the world, Lucas! I know it!”_

_“I-It’s Luke…” he corrected, but he couldn’t help himself as a smile started to appear on his face when the other kid had such a big grin directed to him._

_“Whatever you say, Lucas!”_

From thereafter, they were inseparable. They attended the same schools, the same classes. They had lunch together, did their homework together. They had sleepovers almost every week despite living next to each other. The most cliché out of all things was that their rooms were located directly opposite from each other, and they used to write messages on whiteboard to communicate with each other through the windows just like that one Taylor Swift music video, until they got their own phones that is.

_“Mommy, how does it feel to have a soulmate?” 10-years-old Luke asked innocently._

_“Oh, Lukey, having a soulmate feels like you could give up anything in the world just to make your soulmate happy.”_

_“I think Cal-Pal is my soulmate,” Luke confessed to his mom using Calum’s then-nickname. Liz only smiled fondly._

Despite when they started to show different interests approaching high school era, with Luke being more into academics, and Calum into football (soccer), they still managed to find time to spend with each other away from their newly found friends, as if they couldn’t live without each other. Their friends constantly tease them and nicknamed them Cake because they were lazy to say ‘Calum and Luke’. All Luke did was just grin shyly while Calum’s cheeks grew red.

They shared their first kiss when they were 16. Luke was tutoring Calum on Calculus as their final examination approached. Luke was pointing out how to use the Pythagoras’ Theorem to find the diameter of a circle when he noticed Calum stopped paying attention to him and just stared at Luke’s lips as he ran his tongue over his own bottom lip. Luke remembered how his breath just halted when Calum tugged the bottom of Luke’s chin and leaning forward to fit both of their lips together just for a split second. Luke remembered how Calum’s lips were chapped yet full. Luke remembered how Calum tasted like mint from the gum he was chewing. Luke remembered inhaling Calum’s breath when Calum let go of him and Luke’s lungs went back to keeping Luke alive. Luke remembered how just they smiled at each other with their cheeks tinted red, staring into those bright brown eyes he drowned himself in them. Luke remembered how _right_ it felt.

They went back to study right after that and never mentioning the kiss again because they didn’t want to cheat on their future soulmates, which Luke found ridiculous because he was so sure that Calum was his soulmate. Calum, the boy slowly growing to a man with biceps getting more and more profound from sports, with tattoos that were inked beautifully on his tan skin, and a cheerful, outgoing personality, who’s eyes crinkled when he laughed at Luke’s bad joke, and protected Luke when ‘nerd’ insults at school became too much, was Luke’s soulmate.

Luke was _sure_ of it.

Until he wasn’t.

It was Calum’s eighteenth birthday, Luke tagged along with the Hood family to help Calum get his watch. Luke and Calum had it all calculated and planned out, truly believing that they were soulmates. And that when Calum got his watch, it would show 4 months and 22 days, the exact date difference when Luke would have his birthday and would get his own watch. Then their watches would go off simultaneously inside the office when Luke wears his watch for first time accompanied by Calum by his side. And they would officially become soulmates, fated by nature, entrusted by the universe, bona fide soulmates.

Except it didn’t happen.

Luke stared down at 0 – 6 – 10 white numbers blinking innocently on Calum’s watch when the nurse activated it. His stomach dropped. Emotions ran rampant behind Luke’s expressionless face. Sadness, disappointment, and confusion fighting to take over Luke’s emotion. He didn’t know if he wanted to cry, to scream, or to storm off and never return when he could hear his heart shattered into a million pieces.

He could hear Calum getting into a heated argument with the nurse about that there was something wrong with the watch, but it was tuned out when Luke felt like he was about to throw up his breakfast. The feeling of disgust brewed within Luke. Disgusted at the numbers glowing on Calum’s wrist, disgusted by reality of Calum wasn’t his soulmate, disgusted at the fact he fell in love with someone who wasn’t his soulmate.

Yes, Luke loved Calum, a person who was _not_ his soulmate.

Tears threatened to spill behind his eyelids as he sniffled. “Lucas?” Calum seemed to have heard Luke’s sniffle as he turned towards him after the nurse trying her best to convince Calum there was not even one case of mistake that ever happened to soulmate timers. Calum’s tone was soft, comforting, and caring, making everything more ironic that it already was, because it wasn’t supposed to be meant for Luke at all. And the nickname Calum always use that used to make Luke’s heart flutter, now felt like spilling salt on wounds, like getting stabbed in the chest, again and again.

“Luke?” Luke flinched away from Calum’s hand landing on his shoulder, and Luke could see the pain in Calum’s eyes from his action. But Luke couldn’t help it, because Luke couldn’t bear with the fact that the adolescent, the _man_ in front of him did not belong to him. And it _destroyed_ Luke.

“What’s going on?” Calum’s dad barged into the room, obviously prompted from hearing Calum’s loud argument with the nurse.

“Ex-excuse me,” Luke muttered weakly as he dived pass Calum’s family standing by the door, trying to hold back his tears and emotions.

He ran.

He ran away from the thoughts clouding his mind.

He ran away from all the memories he built with Calum.

He ran away from all the dreams he dreamt with Calum.

Most importantly, he was running away from Calum.

Calum, the one he loved.

The one who didn’t belong to Luke.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This will be a short one, I'm aiming around 5k words, because I'm bad at writing long fics. And the other boys will show up later no worries.
> 
> Leave some thoughts? :*


	2. Chapter 2

“Luke! Wait!” Calum shouted while he chased after the blonde, “Luke!”

Luke choked back a sob as adrenaline pumped through his long legs, he ran down the hospital hallways, giving zero shits to the disapproving glances from people around him. He just wanted to escape, to go anywhere. To anywhere there was no _Calum_.

“Luke! Stop for fuck’s sake!” the panic within Calum’s voice was prominent, and Luke could sense the rapid footsteps behind him starting to catch up, but his legs were already starting to burn from exhaustion.

Even with Luke’s advantageous long legs, he couldn’t outrun the star player of their school’s football team as Calum lunged at Luke from behind. Tanned arms wrapped around Luke protectively as they tumbled down to the ground together, with Calum taking most of the impact, prompting a pained groan from the older one.

For a split second, Luke forgot about running and all he could think of was Calum getting hurt. It was such a _soulmate_ thing to do and it felt like a punch to Luke’s face. He squirmed to escape Calum’s grip, he couldn’t handle being near Calum for another second when it felt like getting torn piece by piece.

“Lemme go!” Luke demanded, flailing his legs to find leverage.

It was obvious Calum was in pain yet he still managed tightened his grip around Luke’s waist, “Luke! Stop! Listen to me!”

“Calum! Let me go! Please!” Luke begged as the first tear start to fall from his eyes, fight started to drain from Luke’s body as a sob racked through his body.

“Luke…” Calum muttered softly as he manhandled Luke to face him.

Luke plastered his face on Calum’s chest, tears uncontrollably freefall from his blue eyes as he sobbed loudly into Calum’s shirt. “I-it’s not f-fair!” Luke’s breath hitched, body trembling within Calum’s embrace.

“I know, Luke…” Calum wrapped his limbs around the younger one as he caressed the other’s backside.

“I l-love you C-Calum,” Luke’s voice muffled through the soft cotton of Calum’s shirt as his hands twisted and tightened behind Calum’s back, “w-when I’m not s-supposed to!”

“Shhhh…” Calum hushed softly into the blonde quiff, rocking their bodies back and forth as he let Luke cry it all out, “everything’s gonna be alright.”

It was a blatant lie. Nothing would ever be alright. Not when Calum didn’t turn out to be Luke’s soulmate. Not when Luke was so in love Calum but it was forbidden. Not when Calum pressed his lips against Luke’s trembling ones, and it felt so _wrong_ to feel so _right_.

Time felt infinite as Luke sobbed into Calum’s chest in the hospital hallway, with an equally hopeless Calum trying his best to soothe Luke with gentle rocks and comforting touches, until Luke’s sobs lessened till he went limp on top of Calum, passing out from the emotional exhaustion.

* * *

 

When Luke woke up, he felt like shit. He was in his bed back at home, and for a second he thought it was a nightmare all along, until he saw he was still in the same outfit when he went to the hospital, he managed to suppress the urge to vomit right there and then when the memories from the hospital resurfaced in his mind. Calum wasn’t his soulmate. A wave of tears threatened to spill at the realization.

Luke could feel how sore his throat was, how heavy his eye bags were, and how sick in the stomach he was. All he wanted to do was to curl inside his bed and never get up ever again. Then Luke realized that there was a heated discussion downstairs. He managed to pull on a hoodie he found in a random corner before pushing his door open. The creak the door caused the discussion downstairs to pause, and Luke froze.

“Lucas? Is that you?” it was Calum’s voice that echoed the hallway, and a wave of nausea hit Luke as he was tempted to run back to bed and block out the world. But he shouldn’t and couldn’t, he needed to face this one way or another.

“ _Yes_ ,” he wheezed soundlessly, he hated how weak he sounded right now. He cleared his throat before speaking again, “Yeah.”

“Honey,” it was his mother this time, “can you come down please?”

Instinct told him to not do it, to just go back to bed and pretend everything didn’t happen. But Luke had to do this, especially when he could tell how tired his mother and Calum were from their voices. He slowly made his way down the stairs, crossing his arms to form a sort of barrier with his hoodie.

Everyone was there, Calum’s and Luke’s parents and siblings were gathered around the living room, and every pair of eyes were staring at the blonde boy. Some showed pity, some showed frustration, and some showed helplessness. Luke directed his gaze downward to avoid eye contacts before the emotions start to overwhelm him again. He especially avoided Calum’s gaze when he could feel it burning into him as he made his way into his mother’s arms.

Despite being tall and lanky, he suddenly felt he was small kid all over again as Liz hugged him tight, he missed the naivety and innocence of being a young kid as he soaked in the motherly warmth. Luke didn’t even notice that Calum has made his way to Luke’s side and pulled Luke into another hug. Instinctively he took in the scent of the other boy, it always had a calming effect on Luke when his scent buds were filled the familiar musky scent Calum had. Luke sighed softly directly onto the MMXII tattoo on Calum’s chest. Calum told everyone he got the tattoo because 2012 was a special year to him, except Luke knew the truth behind the tattoo because Calum got it done the weekend after _that_ kiss.

“Calum,” David Hood spoke in a serious tone. Then Luke was let go and Calum went back to stand next to his family, while Luke was ushered to sit on a hand rest of the couch where his father was sitting as he laid his head on Liz’ shoulder.

“First of all Luke, we’re all sorry for what happened,” David started, and Luke knew what was coming, especially when David nodded towards Calum’s watch, making Calum cross his arms to hide the offending accessory, “but we all know what it means.”

Of course Luke knew, it was already taught to them at schools. How it was a crime to be with someone who wasn’t your soulmate, punishable by law, and despised by the surrounding people for going against nature and fate. Luke’s eyes flickered towards Calum to gauge his expression, and for the first time Luke saw how broken Calum was. Calum, who Luke knew as the most confident, strongest, cheeriest person in Luke’s life, now looked lifeless, and drained of energy. And it hit Luke hard to know that he wasn’t the only one deeply affected by the black watch on Calum’s left wrist that was counting down the days until Calum meets his actual soulmate who was definitely not _Luke_. Luke knew Calum’s father was trying to not be blunt, to say that he shouldn’t be with Calum. How could have he not know? He knew it ever since he laid eyes on those white numbers shining on Calum’s wrist, knew those numbers depicted the fact Luke and Calum were not meant to be, and it _hurt_.

“I’m sorry…” Luke muttered, shoving his face into his sleeves.

“No one is blaming you Luke,” Joy reassured, “no one saw this coming.” She tried to smile comfortingly and Luke appreciated it. “We were all shocked too, when we…” she sighed, not willing to continue to the sentence. Luke shifted uncomfortably, hated getting reminded of the reality again and again.

Liz coughed, “I think that’s enough for today,” Luke mentally thanked his mother for speaking for him, “we’ll continue this discussion some other day.”

David looked displeased, but Joy shot a warning stare at her husband to prevent David for speaking out, then she turned to the Hemmings, “Of course Liz, we still need to get ready for the party.”

Calum’s birthday party. Luke had totally forgotten about it, and he remembered the wristlet he prepared as Calum’s birthday present, wanting to give him during the party to celebrate that they were one step closer to be confirmed as soulmate. It was meaningless now. Luke thought bitterly.

Ben ushered the Hoods out the front door. Calum and Luke exchanged glance for a split second, and Luke could read Calum just like a book.

_We’re gonna figure this out._

_I’ll always be there with you._

_Stay strong, Luke._

Then Calum left.

* * *

 

Luke didn’t go to the party, it was just small party really, only close relatives and friends were invited. He barely ate anything Liz cooked before vomiting them out into the toilet bowl. He laid straight on his bed, pointedly ignored the messages and missed calls from his friends, mostly from Michael he imagined who was scratching his head of blue hair in distress from Luke’s absence. Luke let out a small chuckle. Michael specially dyed it because it was Calum’s favourite colour.

_“Because it reminds me of your eyes,” Calum’s eyes crinkled as he poked Luke’s cheek._

And the chuckle ended as quick as it started.

Luke sighed as he sat up, snatching Calum’s present from the bedside as he fiddled with it. It was specially etched with C.H. on one side and L.H. on the other side of a love shape hanging from the wristlet. Luke used to think how their last names started with an H, and no matter who changed their last name when they get married, their abbreviation would stay the same. But all had gone to shit hole now, and Luke raised his arm to throw the wristlet in fury.

A knock from the window made Luke’s arm freeze in mid-air. There’s only one person who would come through Luke’s window like that, and Luke scrambled to unlock the window. Immediately the figure dove inside Luke’s room, and pulled Luke into a tight embrace. Luke melted in an instant.

“You didn’t come to the party,” Calum accused softly.

Luke shook his head against Calum’s shoulder.

“I missed you,” Calum admitted.

Luke sucked in a huge breath, letting out a shuddered exhale, “I missed you too.”

Calum’s head was placed on Luke’s lap as Luke sat against the wall. Comfortable silence filled the air as Calum studied the wristlet.

“Did you really wanted to throw my present away, if I didn’t come in your room and saw that you’re about to throw it?” Calum fake-pouted.

Luke let out a small laugh, caressing the reminding blonde streak left on Calum’s fringe from the hair colour experiment, “Maybe?” he giggled.

"Michael almost lost his shit when he couldn't find you, he almost pulled out his hair, and he's already so bald from the hair dyes."

"We should bet on how long before he loses all his hair," Luke suggested, waggling his eyebrows playfully with a grin.

"Dude, that's fucked up," Calum laughed out loud.

Luke knew that they were acting like the watch around Calum’s watch didn’t exist, going to back their usual selves as they interacted like nothing even happened. That was until…

“Lucas?” Calum started.

“Hmm?” Luke hummed questioningly.

“The thing you said to me at the hospital, is it true?”

Luke froze.

“Luke, do you love me?” Calum asked earnestly, one hand coming up to cup Luke’s cheek, thumb caressing the pale skin.

Luke knew he was fucking things up when he brought his own hand up to slot with Calum’s hand, replying a “Yes,” softly.

But what was more fucked up was when Calum grinned happily as he tightened his hand around Luke’s.

“I love you too.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, this maybe longer than I expected. Definitely won't end around 5k words when I keep adding new scenes.  
> But I do hope y'all enjoying this story!


	3. Chapter 3

It took 30 minutes of civil conversation to calm Michael down the next day, which involved Luke getting screamed at for 80% of the time. In their school hallway.

_“Where the fuck were you last night?!”_

_“Why didn’t you text me back?!”_

_“I called you like a million times!”_

_“It was so fucking awkward when Ash and Cal were busy talking to other people!”_

_“I hate parties.”_

_“There were so many **people**.”_

_“You owe me some fucking pizzas!”_

Civil conversation, right?

Luke mumbled some excuses about being sick and phone being dead, but obviously Michael didn’t buy it.

“It’s about Calum’s watch isn’t it?”

Luke blinked.

“Oh, don’t give me that look,” Michael rolled his eyes.

“What look?” Luke didn’t even realize he had some ‘look’ on his face.

Michael sighed, “I’m not stupid Luke, Calum would rather die than show his timer to me and Ash last night. I know he didn’t get your birthday on his timer.”

“I don’t care Calum’s timer,” Luke grimaced.

“What do you mean you don’t care?!” Michael snapped, “It means that you and Cal aren’t—” and Michael’s eyes widened in realization.

“Holy--!” Luke covered Michael’s mouth to cut him off.

“Shhhh!” Luke shushed as he pulled Michael closer while making sure that weren’t eavesdropper around.

“Luke!” Michael whisper-shouted once he peeled Luke’s palm off his mouth, “it’s against the law!”

“As long as we don’t get caught,” Luke narrowed his eyes in seriousness.

“Dude, that’s fucked up man!”

“Keep it down!” Luke warned, scanning the crowd once more in paranoia.

“Okay! Okay!” Michael raised his hands in surrender, “but seriously, you shouldn’t be doing this! What if you both get caught?!”

“We won’t,” Luke reassured, “and I trust you to not tell anyone, yeah?”

“Y-yeah…”

* * *

 

Luke put his extra-curricular time to good use, in a bathroom stall.

Luke wrapped his arms around Calum’s neck as Calum dove in. Calum’s full lips against his own as Calum slowly backed Luke against the wall. Luke let out a gasp as his back softly hit the wall, firmly plastered against it with two tan hands grasping his hips. Calum tasted different this time, more chocolatey and sweet with a hint of saltiness, must’ve been from the vegemite-nutella sandwich he had earlier.

“Michael… knows…” Luke panted against Calum’s mouth between pauses.

“Ash… too…” Calum breathed against Luke’s pulse point before nipping softly.

“What s-should… we do?” Luke tilted his head back for easier access, eyes squeezed tight in pleasure, “Ah—! No marks!” Luke warned at a particularly hard nip, shivers sparked throughout Luke’s body.

“They… won’t tell…” Calum reassured, crinkling his eyes as he grinned at Luke, bringing up one hand to stroke Luke’s cheek. And Luke was struck by how handsome Calum looked right then. How the dim light illuminated his sharp cheekbones, how his messy dark hair was tousled by Luke, how his plump lips were red from kissing. And the way his brown eyes just _shone_ with adoration. Luke was surprised how Calum couldn’t hear how fast Luke’s heart was beating when they connect their lips again with their chests plastered together.

Heavy breaths filled the air as they continued making out in the school’s most secluded toilet. It was so thrilling to think that there’s a chance, even just a slight one, that someone may walk in on them, despite the fact there was still another barrier of stall surrounding them. It was so fucking _hot_. Calum broke them apart to nudge their noses together as they panted against each other’s mouth heavily.

“You’re beautiful, Luke Hemmings,” Calum muttered as he ran his thumb across Luke’s bruised bottom lip. And Luke’s breath got stolen for the second time in his life.

Luke didn’t answer, instead he used one hand behind Calum’s neck to pull him into another kiss, and another, and another, as he ignored the inner voice screaming at him.

_He’s not your soulmate. He’s not your soulmate. He’s not your soulmate. He’s not your soulmate._

* * *

 

Luke’s acting skill was put into a huge test. Because desperate times required desperate measures, even if it meant lying to your family and your best friend’s family.

Calum, Luke and their parents sat around a table, tension filling the air that made Luke want to squirm in discomfort.

“We all know that we’re expecting Luke to be Calum’s soulmate,” David started, “but now we know that’s not the case, and we need to address it.” Luke was so not used to how serious David was being, it just made Luke dread on the sin Calum and him were committing under their families’ noses. Soulmate was a sacred thing, people were expected to obey and follow it, because it was never ‘wrong’. Luke wanted to scoff at the thought as he stared at the handsome boy sitting opposite of him, they were right for each other, Luke _knew_ it.

“Luke?” Liz nudged Luke out of his train of thought, “we just wanna make sure you’re comfortable to talk about this…”

Luke coughed into his fist, “Sure…” he smiled reassuringly, and Luke barely noticed the twitch of Calum’s hand, and Luke’s heart gave a small leap because he knew Calum was holding himself back from coming over to comfort Luke.

“Luke, honey,” Joy started, “we love you very much, like you’re family to us, but you have to know that Calum and you both cannot be together romantically…” and Calum flinched slightly in discomfort.

Luke nodded compliantly, “I know, and I’ve already thought it through,” he sighed to make it seemed like he was struggling while adding in a sniffle, “I’m happy that there’s someone out there waiting for Calum…” scanning his blue eyes across the table to make eye contact with everyone before reaching Calum. His pearl white teeth shining through his grin as Calum mirrored him, “…and you’re getting rid of me that easily, Cal, I’m still your best friend.”

_Lies. Lies. Lies._

“I ain’t getting rid of you Lucas, I still need my best man for my wedding,” Calum waggled his thick eyebrows playfully, playing his part convincingly.

“You both are the two strongest young men I’ve ever known,” Liz nodded to herself as she pecked Luke’s forehead, while Calum was whining pitifully when Joy tried to smother him with her own kisses. Their parents actually looked relieved thinking Calum and Luke has accepted the fact that they were not soulmates and has chosen the course of nature of not being together. Luke almost felt bad.

 _Almost_.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Write down your thoughts about where this might lead too! I'm interested to know :3
> 
> EDIT: I forgot to ask if you guys want smut or nah? I'll probably make a separate fic for the smut to keep this PG. Man... I haven't written smut (aka Thominho smut) for half a year lmao


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